</s>Mr. Callahan 3/12/69 J. P. Dunphy MURKIN This is the case involving the killing of Martin Luther King. My memorandum of 3/1/1969, attached, advised of a call from John Carlisle, Chief Investigator, District Attorney General's Office, Memphis, Tennessee. Carlisle desired to know what disposition we wished made of the trial two trial models prepared by the Bureau which had been utilized in the trial of subject Ray. It was recommended and approved that he be informed the Bureau could make use of these models in Washington if he judged no objection to returning them to us. On 3/12 /1969 Carlisle advised while discussing other aspects of this case to him him the judge stated that whatever disposition is made of him today he intends to issue an order to the recipient that they are the models, he intends that he is not an order in the recipient's that thinking is that even though Ray has no formal appeal rights, there is always the possibility that he could file a writ of habes corpus in the future. If this were to happen, there are no formal appeals rights, the models would have to be shipped back to Memphis. In view of this, we should not have the models returned to us for possible use on the tour route or as training aids. RECOMMENDATION: That Carlisle be informed he informed the Bureau does not desire the return of these models to Washington. Enclosure 1 - Mr. Bishop 1 -Mr. Casper 1 - Mrs. Long, Rm. 2260 JPD:KO (5) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) involvement in preparing exhibits for the trial of James Earl Ray, accused of assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. The FBI’s Exhibits Section created three-dimensional models, technical drawings, and measurement tools to reconstruct the crime scene at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. These materials were intended to aid the prosecution during Ray’s trial, which was initially scheduled for November 12, 1968, but postponed to March 9, 1969. The FBI utilized scale models (3/16 inch = 1 foot and 1/2 inch = 1 foot), aerial photographs from the U.S. Corps of Engineers, and architectural sketches provided by Cummings & Co. Challenges included terrain elevation changes requiring precise surveying, which agents addressed through intensive work, including weekends. The trial concluded with Ray pleading guilty to first-degree murder on March 10, 1969, receiving a 99-year sentence. Documents also reference evidence handling, witness testimonies (e.g., Samuel B. Kyles and Chauncey Eskridge), and FBI investigations spanning multiple jurisdictions. Some materials include unrelated complaints about a "foreign agent" in Memphis, noted as extraneous content.  

Key People  
- **Phil M. Canale**: Shelby County State Attorney General who requested the crime scene model for Ray’s trial.  
- **Robert G. Jensen**: SAC (Special Agent in Charge) for the Memphis FBI office, oversaw investigation and trial preparations.  
- **George C. Munford**: Exhibits Specialist at the FBI involved in creating crime scene models and drawings.  
- **Ralph J. Liever**: FBI Special Agent who contributed to artist’s conception of the assassination.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Defendant convicted of murdering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  
- **Samuel B. Kyles**: Reverend and friend of King, testified about the assassination.  
- **Chauncey Eskridge**: Attorney representing King, provided testimony.  
- **Dr. J. T. Francisco**: Shelby County Coroner who conducted autopsy on King’s body.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of the assassination and trial.  
- **Lorraine Motel**: Location where Dr. King was shot.  
- **York Arms Company (162 South Main Street)**: Store where binoculars were purchased, linked to witness testimony.  
- **London, England**: Where James Earl Ray was arrested in 1968.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel.  
- **November 12, 1968**: Initial trial date for James Earl Ray, later postponed to March 9, 1969.  
- **March 10, 1969**: Trial concluded with Ray pleading guilty to first-degree murder and receiving a 99-year sentence.  
- **Preparation of crime scene exhibits**: FBI created three-dimensional models and aerial photographs for trial use.  
- **Evidence handling**: Inspector E.E. Zachary preserved evidence from the crime scene, which was forwarded to the FBI for analysis.  
- **Unrelated complaints**: Documents mention extraneous references to a "foreign agent" in Memphis.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted extensive investigation across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, England, and Portugal.  
- **Shelby County Criminal Court**: Where James Earl Ray’s trial took place.  
- **Exhibits Section, FBI**: Responsible for creating crime scene models and visual aids for the trial.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Provided evidence related to the homicide investigation.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_24-12-part_1_of_2.pdf

Document Summary

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